Sole for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes.



K. ENGEL.

SOLE FOR USE m THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTSAND SHOES. APPLICATION F|LEDNOV.8.19I5.

Les-mm 4 Patented 0@ t.15, 1918.

' KARL ENGEL, or ARLINGTON,

T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY POBA'IION on NEW JERSEY.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO R, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW

JERSEY, A COBr restate; I

Specification of Letters Patent,

ratenteaoca 15, 1 91s.

tfrigimal app lication filed September 26, 1914, Serial No. 863,758. pivided and this application filed November To all who/nit may concern: 1

Be it known that I, KARL, ENGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Arlington, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Solesfor Use in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes, of Which the following descriptio'n,,in connection with the accompanying drawingsfis a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures,

This invention relates to shoes and particularly to improvements in soles for use in the manufacture ofshoes, a

. The solesemployedat the present time in the manufacture of shoes are of substantially uniform thickness throughout, that is," the thickness of the shank portion of the sole where there is little, if any, appreciable wear on the sole is approximately that of the forepart ofthe sole where the greatest wear occurs. The. equable thickness of the'entire sole is not only detrimental to the style and neat appearance of the shoe but it renders 5 the shoe'stiff and heavy. ,In order to compensate for the superfluous stock in the shank ofthe shoe so asto close shank-appearance, it has'been a common practice to bevel the upper marginal edges of the sole along either side of the shank portion, This practice, however, has notwbeen found entirely satisfactory particularly since the bevelededges of the sole vary considerablyiinthickness after the sole has been trimmed to size. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to secure a properly shaped shank and a tight scam in the shank with a sole beveled vin this manner since the shank portion of the sole cannot be conformed readily to the transverse curvature of the shank portion of the shoe.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sole which, when incorporated in a shoe',will enable a uniformly thin sole edge of the shoe whereby the style and neat appearance of tieshoe are greatly improved I and which will also increase the flexibility and resiliency of the shoe and reduce its weight materially.

With this end in view,

shown and described is of a uniform thickness which is substantially less throughout obtain the desired to be obtained throughout the shank portion v fiatten out they do the sole herein Serial No. 60,335,

ballline to'vthe heel breast line throughout the entire width of the sole.

' In accordance with another featureof the invention, a sole has applied to its shank portion a moldable stiffening element which is adapted to cause the shank portion of the sole tomaintain the shape imparted to it when the sole is-attached to the shoe thereby providing a pearing shank. for the shoe than was heretofore possible. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the stiffening element is applied to the flesh side of the reduced portion of the sole, the marginal edges of the sole being left unaffected by the material so as not to interfere with the later sole attaching operations. As herein illustrated this moldable stiffening element consists of celluloid or similar .pyroxylin material which is advantageously applied tothe sole in the form of a thin sheet so that the desired results are secured without adding appreciably to the thickness of the sole in the shank and without destroying the. required conformation of the shank portion of the sole.

A further feature of the invention consists in a prepared outsole comprising a 'forepart and shank portions, and a shank 'stifiener located upon the flesh sideof the shank portion, said shank stiffening element being consolidated with the outsoleinto a single unitary sole structure and having a conformation adapted to "ncrease the rigidity of the shank portion of the sole and render it more resistant to flexure. It is found in practice that solesitend to flatten out inthe shank during wear of the shoe in which the sole 1s incorporated so that after the shoe has been worn for a period it loses some of the at tractive appearance which it possessed when the shoe was new. Also, when the soles do stroy the lit of the shoe and the support which they provide for the arch of the foot. By this feature of the invention the conformation imparted to the shank portion of thesol'e during the manufacture of the shoe and its sole is preserved.

more permanent and, better ap-v I herein described in considerable detail is not herein claimed but is made the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No.

' 863,758,-filed Sept. 26, 1914, of which application the present application is a division. These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description read in connection with the accompanying drawings and the various novel features of the invention are set ed claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the sole of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sole with the stiffening material applied; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the sole showing the split removed therefrom- In producing the sole of the present invention, an outersole, such as is ordinarily used in the manufacture of shoes, is em ployed as the thickness of the sole in the forepart, shank portion and heel part is substantially the same when the sole is. died out from the sole stock in the usual manner. This sole 2 is first reduced in thickness in the shank portion a by cutting or removing.

a split 6 of leather from the flesh side 8 ofthe sole, the splitting operation being performed by any'suitable splitting machine. Preferably, and as herein shown, the reduced portion 4 of the sole extends from approxi= mately the ball line of the sole to the breast line ofthe heel part of the sole and across the entire width of the sole. The thickness of the split 6 removed from the sole and therefore the thickness of the reduced portion of the sole after the split has been removedis of a substantially uniform thickness throughout except, of course, when the split is out free from the sole along its opposite edges. In practice the shoulders 10 and 12 formed on the sole in removing the split are beveled off or molded over, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to prevent any objectionable marring of the sole durin later operations by the lines or ridges in tl ie region between the reduced and the adjacent portions of the sole. The thickness of the reduced portion of the sole after the split has been removed is such as to provide a substantial body to receive the sole securing stitches and offer a suflicient support and wearing surface for the shank of the shoe. The split 6. which is removed from the sole may be advantaforth in the appendpyroxylin compounds geously used in making shoe heels or in other places where scrap leather is employed.

While a sole embodying the above characteristics may be advantageously used to produce a shoe having the'd'esi'red uniform sole. edge in the shank and also: a close shank, the general appearance and fit of the shoe may be further improved if the shape i'mparted to the sole in the molding operation is maintained during later; operations on the shoe and the actual wear of the shoe. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention the shank portion 4 of the sole is provided with a moldable stiffening element. which is of such a nature that when the sole is completed it willicause the sole to retain the form imparted to the sole in the, molding operation and will also possesssuch a degree of resiliency as ;is desirable. It. has been found that celluloid or similarpossess the necessary properties for this purpose. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a relatively thin strip 14 of celluloid which is preferably of the proper dimensions to cover all but the marginal edge portion of the shank portion of the sole is applied to: the flesh side or the reduced portion of the sole, the marginal edges of the portion 4 of the solebeing left unaffected by theeel'l ul'oiicl soas not to interfere with the channeling of the sole or with the stitching of the sole to the shoe. This strip 14 of celluloid is preferably treated, it maybe treated on its lower surface only, with a suitable solvent which. will partially dissolve and soften the celluloid and render it sufficiently plastic or semiplastic to be conformed to the shape imparted to the sole and also penetrate into the leather and become firmly bonded to the fibers of the sole.

While the celluloid, as Well as in'temper the sole is molded in manner to the proper the sole, is the usual conformation, as lllustrated in Fig. 2, during which molding the sole becomes more or less impregnated with. celluloid and the celluloid conforms to the contour of the sole in which state it becomes consolidated or set. The celluloid or other material having like properties as above described, causes the shank portion of the sole to retain permanently the con-forn'iationiinparted to it and provides a resilient and substantial support for the arch of the foot.

oreover, the celluloid, particularly when applied to a sole having a reduced shank portion, enables a more shapely and per-- manent shank to beproducedand this with-- out increasing the Weight of the shoe.

A further important advantage to be noted is that the thickness of the sole in the shank is not appreciably increased by the celluloid and the attachment of thecelluloid to the sole shows no indication on the tread surface of the sole so that the sole is particularly adapted for use in the manufacture of tion are present in asole having a shank portion of. uniformly reduced thickness and having a bondin and stiffening material applied to said re uced portion, itshould be understoodthat a sole having a shank portion of uniformly reduced thickness has specific utility without the application of the stiffening material. Similarly, it is recognized that the utility of the shank stiffening feature of this invention'is not limited in its application to a sole having a reduced shank. 4

Having described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. As an article of manufacture, a leather sole for shoes in which'the shank portion thereof is of a uniform thickness which is substantially less than the thickness of the remaining portions of the sole. v

2. As an article of manufacture, a leather sole for shoes having a shank portion from the flesh side of which a split of leather has been removed so that the shank portion of the sole is of a uniform thicknesswhich is Y 'less than that of the adjacent portions of the sole;

3. As an article of manufacture, a leather sole for shoes having a portion of substantially a uniform thickness which is less than that of the remaining portions of the sole and extending from approximately the ball line of the sole to the breast line of the heel part of the sole and throughout the entire width of the sole.

4:- As an article of manufacture, a molded outsole for shoes the shank portion of which is provided on its inner face with a shank stiffening element intimately united to the outsole and adapted to cause the shank portion of the sole to maintain its conformation.

5. As an article of manufacture, a molded sole for shoes the shank portion of which is provided with a stiffening element molded into conformation to the sole and forming a component part thereof and consolidated with the sole in said conformation to maintain the molded condition of the sole.

6. As an article of manufacture, asole for shoes the shank portion of which is molded to a predetermined lateral and longitudinal conformation and is permanently 1naintained in said conformation by a stiffening element attached to the inner surface of the said shank portion of the sole Without indication on the outer surface of the sole.

7. As an article of manufacture, a leather sole for shoes the shank portion of which is molded and is stiffened by celluloid along its mid-portion only throughout substantially the length of the shank.

8. As an article of manufacture, a sole for shoes the shank portion of which is molded and is stiffened along its mid-portion only throughout substantially the length of the shank by celluloid, a portion of which has permeated the. fibers of the sole and thereby attached the celluloid to the'sole.

9. As an article of manufacture, a leather sole for shoes having its shank portion of a uniform thickness which is substantially less than the adjacent portions of the sole and having a stiffening material attached tosaid reduced portion of the sole.

10. As an article of manufacture, a sole for shoes having a shank portion which is of a substantially less thickness than the adjacent portions of the sole, and having said reduced portion stiffened by celluloid,

11. As an article of manufacture, a sole forshoes in which the shank portion of the sole is of a reduced uniform thickness relatively to the adjacent portions of the sole and having the reduced portion impregnated with a stiffening material which causes said reduced portion to maintain the predetermined conformation imparted to it.

12. As an article of manufacture, a molded sole for shoes the shank portion of which is of less thickness than the adjacent portions of the sole and is moldedto a predetermined conformation and permanentiliy maintained in said conformation by a sh ening element attached to said reduced and molded portion of the sole.

13. A leather outer sole for shoes having a shank portion from the flesh side of which a split of leather has been out, leaving said shank portion of uniform thickness throughout, and of less thickness than adjacent portions of the sole.

.14. A leather outer sole for shoes having a shank portion from the flesh side of which a split of leather has been cut, leaving said shank portion of uniform thickness throughout and of less thickness than adjacent portions of the sole, said out terminating at the breast of the heel and at the ball of the shank.

15. As an article of manufacture a preared outsole for a shoe comprising 'a leather body portion recessed longitudinally in the flesh side of its shank, a shank stiffening element located in said recess and possessing characteristics enabling it to be molded with the leather body while the latter is in temper, said parts being consolidated into a unitary sole structure conforming to the contour of the bottom of the shoe of which it is a part, the shank stiffening element being stiffened by the curvature imparted to it in molding the sole structure to fit the curvature of the shoe bottom.

16. As an article of manufacture,'a prepared outsole for shoes comprising a leather body portion and a shank stiffening element located upon the upper surface of the leather body portion in the shank, said shank stiffening element being consolidated with the outsole into a single unitary sole structure.

17. As anarticle of manufacture, a prepared leather outsole comprising forepart and shank portions molded to the conformation of a shoe bottom, and a-shank stiltener located-upon the flesh side of the shank portion and consolidated with theleather shank portion so as to cause it to maintain the conformation of the shank portion of the outsole. v

18. As an article of manufactu re a molded outsole having'a shank stiffen er molded to the conformation of the outsole and secured to it by means which cause'the stiffener to mainta'inthe conformationof. the outsole and which donot penetrate the reverse side-of the outsole.

19. As an article of manufacture, a pie pared outsole comprising a sole body having a recessed shank stifi'ener located in said recess, the outsole and the stifi'ener being molded. longitudinally and transversely to fit the correspond-,

tier; of the outsole.

ortion and a shank 'In testimony whereof I have, signed my 'ing curvatures of the shoe bottom of which the outsole is to be a art. v

20. As an article 0 manufacture, a molded outsole of leather comprising forepart -and shank portions,-and a shank stiffening element integrally united with the shank portion of the outsole and having a conformation adapted to increase its rigidity and land shank portions molded to correspond to the longitudinal and transverse curvatures of the shoe bottom of .which the outsole is tovbe a part, and a shank stifiener locatedupon the flesh side of the shank portion and' consolidated with the putsole I to cause it to maintain the molded shape of the outs ole and to impart greater rigidity to the shank portion than the forepart porname to this specificatiom KARL .ENGEL. 

